Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio have been at the heart of Florence’s political and social life for centuries. The great bell once used to summon citizens to parlamento (public meetings) here, and the square has long been a popular promenade for both visitors and Florentines. The piazza’s statues (some are copies) commemorate the city’s major historical events, though its most famous episode is celebrated by a simple pavement plaque near the loggia: the execution of the religious leader Girolamo Savonarola who was burnt at the stake. [DK Eyewitness Travel]